


Pathway To A Past

by Weasy



Category: Angel: the Series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Shanshu Prophecy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-11-08
Updated: 2002-11-08
Packaged: 2018-12-26 03:43:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12050586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Weasy/pseuds/Weasy
Summary: Cordelia is having visions of things that are going to happen a long way in the future, and they include Buffy and Angel.





	Pathway To A Past

**Author's Note:**

> Another very old fic, written and set mid seasons 3/6 but ignoring most of the Spuffy and Cordy/Angel plotlines - because I was still in denial. Instead I had Buffy staying with Riley and loosing herself in him after she was brought back to life.
> 
> This is 95% shanshu based fluff, and not amazing quality. I think this might be my oldest fic.

**Part One**

Buffy dodged the blow the vampire aimed at her and rolling as she fell picked up her crossbow, she aimed a bolt at the vampire, fired and watched it dissipate into a cloud of dust. She excepted the hand that had reached out to help her to stand up, and then pausing looked up to see who it was. She pulled her hand away when she saw it was Spike.

'Spike!' she exclaimed annoyed, 'I told you not to come.'

'I was itching for a fight, get over it.' He returned casually. Buffy eyed him suspiciously. 'I swear,' He said holding his hands up in the air.

I wish he'd stop doing this, Buffy thought, it makes Riley uncomfortable. And as always Spike could tell exactly what she was thinking.

'I don't know why it bothers you what Riley thinks. He's a total ponce.'

'Leave him alone.' Buffy was so tired of Spike's constant digs at her for going out with Riley. Although she had come to respect Spike as, well, not exactly a friend - but someone she wouldn't stake on sight, she found his way of reading her mind very disconcerting.

'You know you always loved a bit of history with your men. Commando boy's got nothing but a top-secret military centre.'

'Give it up Spike.' Buffy retorted a threatening edge coming into her voice. Spike shut up.

The feeling crept over Buffy again. The feeling that he was watching her, he wasn't though. He couldn't be. So shaking it off she left the graveyard, trying to think of a way to get rid of Spike before she got to Riley's.

 

Angel woke up from his restless dreams and paced around his room. He tried to walk quietly over to Connor but his light footsteps woke him up anyway and he began to cry. Gently lifting Connor and rocking him Angel whispered to him. 'Did you dream about her too?' Angel didn't know why he thought Connor would dream about Buffy, even if Connor was a physical impossibility and quite likely to have something different about him, Darla was his mother, not Buffy. And besides Darla was dead, she wasn't going to hurt anyone anymore.

But whatever Angel rationally knew he couldn't help but think that Connor had some way of getting inside his mind and to every memory he kept locked away in there.

 

Buffy and the gang had stopped at the Bronze after she had patrolled and the memories it instilled in Buffy weren't exactly making her comfortable. They were also she feared giving her a glazed look. But she just couldn't help it, ever since she thought she'd felt his presence last night she had been consumed by memories of him and she could see reminders of him somewhere. It was so odd, like he needed her, but couldn't ask her. It bugged her, so when everyone had gone off to dance she sent Riley off to get her a drink and began a comprehensive search of the Bronze for him, for her Angel.

She had just about decided to give up when she remembered the little area behind the stairs, raking her eyes over it she noticed a small bundle of black leather. Walking over she felt a deep sense of dread and when she picked it up and turned it in her hands her suspicions were confirmed. It was Angel's jacket. The one he had given her when he warned her about 'fork guy' she was almost carried away with the memory but reality brought her back down to earth with a bump. It was his jacket, but she had never given it back to him. It had lived in her wardrobe forever. Although she didn't wear it anymore she had dragged it out and cried over it more than once. What was it doing here? She didn't have much time to dwell on it though, as she felt a heavy hand on her shoulder and spun round to see Riley talking to her.

'Buffy? Are you okay?' He asked her again.

'Yeah, I'm… fine.' She smiled up at him. 'Better to see you.' And reached up to kiss him, still she couldn't help the sinking feeling in her heart that told her something was wrong.

 

Cordy sat in the office watching as Angel fed Connor. Wes was reading something at his desk and Gunn and Fred hadn't come in yet. She was bored. She was vaguely contemplating whether or not to go and give Lorne a visit when the phone rang. Pleased to have something to do she picked it up and put on her best reassuring voice. 'Angel investigations, we help the helpless.' She chanted.

'Great. I'm helpless now am I?' The voice returned, it was Buffy.

'Nope.' Cordy replied, she wasn't planning on getting Buffy mad at her. She might not survive. 'So what do you need help with?'

'Nothing really.' Buffy said, but her voice sounded slightly distracted. 'I just wanted to make sure Angel was okay.'

'He's fine.' Cordy was now very suspicious, she was not being told something. 'Do you want to talk to him?'

'I, I don't think I'd be able to handle that just now.' There was a heavy pause. 'But can you look into something for me?'

'Sure. But don't you have people to do that for you.' She said pointedly.

'I don't want to get them worried. Please Cordy.' Buffy's voice sounded desperate. 'I just want to find out if there's some sort of telekinetic bad guy around. One that would know about me and Angel.'

'All right.' Cordy gave in. 'But I can't give any guarantees. I'll just ask the rest of the gang to help. There's nothing else we really have to do.'

'But not Angel. You can't tell Angel.'

'Okay that's ridiculous. You have to tell him.'

'No he'll just come to help. And I don't know if I can have him around at the moment. Don't tell him.' There was the faint sound of a door closing down the line and someone calling to Buffy. 'I have to go. Promise you'll look and promise you won't tell Angel.'

'I'll try.' Cordy said, refusing to promise not to tell Angel. She hung off, and found herself confronted with the expectant faces off Wes and Angel.

'Well,' Angel prompted. 'Who was it?'

'No one who's going to give us any cash.' Cordy replied, the brush off didn't work so she tried another tack. 'They just wanted to know about telekinesis.'

'We still have the stuff, left over from when we were helping Carlos.' Wes pointed out. 'You could send them that. But there's nothing really to say, It's just people moving things around with their mind.'

'But it could be dangerous if they can't control it.' Angel said trying to guilt Cordy into telling him who had been on the phone.

'Only if they don't know they have it. And this person's clearly worked it out.' Wes told him not noticing he was spoiling Angel's plan.

Angel shrugged and turned back to Connor. It didn't matter that much to him, so long as Connor was safe.

 

 

'Who was that on the phone?' Riley asked Buffy as he towelled his hair dry. She was lying on his bed fiddling with the cable of the phone and had barely heard the question.

'Oh. It was just Cordy. You know catching up on old times.' She told him, she wasn't exactly lying, she told herself. She just didn't want to go into all the details. Especially if he knew that Cordy worked for Angel.

'Anything interesting happen to her?' Riley asked.

'No not really.' She knew he wanted her to expand but she was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. 'Come on, you can't really want to talk about my high school, well enemies, actually.' Buffy frowned, her nose wrinkling slightly.

'Nope I'd much rather kiss you.' He said grinning. But the thought didn't seem quite right to Buffy and she jumped off the bed before Riley got any ideas.

'I'd better go. I want to talk some stuff over with Giles.' She headed out the door actually intending to go to Giles' house.

 

Instead two hours later Buffy found herself still wandering round Angel's old mansion on Crawford Street. The memories came thick and fast and each one of them brought it's own pain. She remembered how guarded they'd had to be once he'd come back from hell. Trying to be friends instead of lovers. It had been hard but they'd survived, and then he'd left. The memory still stirred bitter anger in her. A moment later her phone rang. She pulled it out ready to turn it off but hen noticed it was Angel Investigations calling her. She picked it up hoping for news off the search from Cordy. 'I've got some stuff,' Cordy told her. 'I emailed it to you.'

'Thanks.' Buffy said uncertain how she felt at the news. 'You realise I'm going to have to ask Willow how that thing works now, don't you?'

'Yep that was the idea.' She replied cheerfully. 'Aargh!'

'Cordy!' Buffy shouted. She could hear people shouting in the background and something crashed against the floor. Then someone picked up the phone. 'Is she okay?' Buffy asked unthinking.

'Buffy?' The surprised voice came back. 'Are you okay? Why do you need to know stuff about telekinesis?' Angel demanded suspicious.

'Hello? I asked if Cordy was okay?' Buffy snapped back hating her tone, but hating Angel's too.

'She's fine.' He told her. Someone was talking to him but Buffy couldn't hear what they were saying. Not wanting to continue the conversation she hung up and turned off her phone when he tried to ring her back. Suddenly angry she grabbed the silver candlestick at her side and threw it at the wall it impacted with a crash. Buffy sank to the floor crying into her hands.

Angel slammed the phone down, irritated. He shouldn't have got mad at her, but she just drove him crazy sometimes, never telling him anything. But he needed to talk to her, Cordy's vision had had Buffy in it, but she had refused to tell him anything until he talked with Buffy. Who wouldn't talk to him.

'Does that mean we're going to Sunnydale?' Cordelia asked gently.

'Yes I suppose it does.' Angel said. He walked across to his room and brought Connor back with him.

'Um,' Wesley interrupted Angel's brooding thoughts. 'What exactly were you planning on telling her about Connor?' They all looked at him expectantly.

'The truth I suppose.' He said resolved to never lie to Buffy. It would make things so much harder later.

 

**Part Two**

_Buffy woke up to find Angel next to her, she was in their room she knew, with a certainty. He was watching her and grinned broadly when she opened her eyes, 'Hey sleepy head.' He chided her gently._

_'Hi.' She said and found it possible to do anything but smile at him, well except reach over and kiss him. A small boy who ran into the room and jumped onto the bed interrupting them. He tried to burrow in the covers between Buffy and Angel, laughing Angel helped him in. But then the harrowing echo of a gun sounded and the boy collapsed. Buffy jumped up trying to get at the person who had shot him enraged with anger. But she couldn't see the face of the gunman._

Buffy woke up gasping for air. Riley stirred beside her, reaching up to try and soothe her. Buffy pulled away from him and curled with her legs tucked up inside her arms, trying to slow her heart rate.

'Buffy, what's wrong?' Riley kept on saying.

'N-nothing.' She stammered. 'It was just a dream.' She could tell he didn't believe her but there was no way she could explain that she'd dreamt about waking up next to her ex. He wouldn't exactly be pleased. And she already had to walk on tiptoes around the Angel subject; she didn't know why Riley took Angel so personally.

She could see the muscles working in Riley's cheek as he tried to hold back his words. Buffy leaned back into the bed, and pretended to go back to sleep until Riley stopped watching her and fell asleep himself. Then silent as she could she snuck out of bed, pulling on her clothes she looked around for anything she might need. After a moment's thought she picked up her cross bow and her phone.

Buffy headed across the City Park, taking a short cut to one of the cemeteries. Halfway across she got the feeling again. The feeling that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on their ends, the feeling that stirred something that made her stomach do flips. The feeling that Angel was near. Anger made her keep walking on; he hadn't exactly been friendly when she'd last talked to him. If he was here she had to be in danger. She casually vaulted the wall and started her patrol of the cemetery.

A rustling sound in the trees alerted the presence of people nearby, she walked cautiously toward it, ready for whatever Vamp or Demon stood behind it. She wasn't however expecting Angel to come out, especially not holding a baby.

'Buffy.' He said she stared in shock taking in his features, he looked tired, but there was a slight difference in his eyes, almost like one of the heavy layers of sorrow had been lifted. It hurt Buffy that he'd been able to work through some of his problems without her. She always thought one day he would realise that he couldn't do anything without her but get sadder, the way she had.

'Angel.' She breathed, he was so perfect, but where did the baby come from?

'Buffy.' He replied and stepped toward her, she stood still, begging him to take her up in his arms but not able to do so herself.

'I hate to interrupt the reunions,' a voice cut in, 'but we've got stuff to do.' The voice belonged to a bald headed African American man stood to the right of Angel, she noticed after a second that there was a girl next to him and on the either side of Angel stood Cordy and Wes.

'Wow. You should've told me it was a group gathering, I would've brought the Scooby gang.' Buffy said, trying to look away from Angel, but finding it rather difficult.

'Yeah, you could have brought Riley.' Cordy said snapping Buffy back to attention stepping back she looked quickly away from Angel and started inspecting the ground.

'Why are you here?' Buffy asked, her voice quiet. _You just forgot your boyfriend Buffy. You need to get away from Angel, before something happens._

'Cordy had a vision.' Angel replied huskily.

'And I was in it. So you turned up unannounced. Again' Buffy hated the harshness in her voice and she hated the pained look he was getting in his eyes. 'I can take care of myself, Angel. I'm not in high school anymore, I can make my own decisions.'

'Buffy, I would have told you I swear but you weren't answering your phone.'

'So? You could have talked to Giles, or Willow. You don't just turn up.' She stepped forward as she said that and suddenly realised how close his body was to hers.

'I'd rather talk to you.' His voice was so sweet and gentle.

'Ahem, hate to interrupt but we sort of need to get this all out in the open before sunrise. One of our company is still combustible.' Wesley interjected

'I've got a few hours.' Angel replied simply his eyes still on Buffy. 'What did you see, Cordy?' Angel sighed as he tore his eyes away from Buffy and turned to face her.

'I saw, Buffy and you and Connor, and someone killed Connor.'

'Ok, I saw that too.' Everyone turned to Buffy. 'What? I was asleep and I dreamt that and I tried to see who killed the boy but I couldn't see who it was.' She looked down at Connor. 'That's the boy isn't it?'

Angel passed Connor to the girl and tried to step in and hug Buffy. But she moved away. He stopped, and tried to explain. 'Buffy, Connor is my son.' Buffy couldn't comprehend his words.

'Your what?' Angel just looked at her. A cold chill passed through her body 'I can't believe you!' She shouted, 'how the hell did you get a son!' She broke down 'Tell me he's adopted.' She whispered, and sunk down to the ground Angel sat down next to her and tried to reach out, she responded instinctively and buried herself in his coat, crying bitter tears over him.

 

When Buffy woke up she thought she was dreaming again. She was enveloped in Angel's red velvet sheets. The memories of her seventeenth birthday flooded back to her, she found it impossible to forget the memories. And then as now, she awoke with no one beside her. Noticing that someone had dressed her in one of Angel's silk shirts, she headed into the kitchen type area to see Angel feeding his son. As soon as she saw them the sad realisation that she could never repeat the events of that particular birthday came back to her.

'What's his name?' She asked, causing Angel to look up startled.

'Connor.' He replied softly. Slowly Buffy walked over to Connor and looking over him saw that his eyes were a deep brown, full of understanding and depth.

'He has your eyes.' She whispered quietly. Slowly she sat down at the table and fiddling with the rings on her fingers she looked everywhere but at Angel.

'Buffy. I need to explain.'

'What why you left me so I could have a normal life and then had a lot more luck at it then I have?' She was bitter and she could hear it in her voice but she didn't care, he had betrayed her.

'I was trying to protect you.' He whispered.

'And ended up with a child?' She looked at him amazed that he could say that.

'Remember when you made me kiss Faith, so that she would think I was evil.'

'Yes.'

'Well it was sort of like that. Darla, she went after everyone I cared about. So I tried to make her think I didn't care about you.'

'You know, I always found staking vamps out to get my friend's works quite well.' She couldn't contemplate his audacity. How dare he say he slept with someone to protect me?

'It wasn't that simple Buffy, She had Dru and a whole gang of evil lawyers on her side.' He had put Connor down and reached out to touch her hand, she flinched and pulled away. 'I don't know how it happened but even if his mother was a bit nuts he's mine and I'm not just going to desert him because I'd prefer it if you were his mother.' The words sunk into Buffy and she looked up at him, tears shining in her eyes.

'I want him to be mine too.' She whispered softly and leaning into Angel started crying again. She fell asleep in his arms, and Angel carried her back into his room. A moment later a phone started ringing. Fearful that it might wake Connor or Buffy Angel hurriedly searched his pockets for his phone, only to find that it wasn't ringing. Puzzled he looked around the room and remembered Buffy's clothes. Hurriedly he started searching through the pockets eventually he pulled it out and worked out how to answer the call.

'Hello.' Angel said expecting it to be one of the Scooby gang.

'Who is this?' Riley asked, confusion apparent in his voice.

'It's Angel. Do you want to talk to Buffy? It's just she's asleep.' Angel tried to explain, realising a second later what it might sound like. 'She was tired after patrol so she stayed at my apartment.'

'I see.' Riley's voice was ice cold. 'What exactly are you doing here?'

'I'm looking out for her.' Angel replied, his voice steady as steel, Riley was such as idiot, Angel would be looking out for Buffy till the end of the world.

'I thought that's what I was here for.' Riley said sharply and Angel bit back his intended comment.

'You're here to make her happy.' Angel replied his voice was deadpan. 'I want her to be happy.' His voice was threatening to go tight with emotion so he tried to wrap up the conversation. 'Do you want me to give her a message?'

'No. I just wondered where she was. I'll see her soon.' Riley said and hung up.

Angel turned back to Buffy to see her still asleep on his bed, she was dreaming and twisted around so that he could glimpse the way she smiled in her sleep.

 

**Part Three**

Angel felt uncomfortable. He sat in the back room of the magic box with all of his and Buffy's combined gang Buffy herself was sorting through the weapons. He rather got the feeling that she was doing it so she could do *something*. Angel too found himself paying more attention to the book he was reading than was strictly necessary. He couldn't help it, he just needed to concentrate his thoughts on something that wouldn't develop into another dose of heartache.

He gave up trying to read the book; the words weren't going in anyway. Slamming the book shut he headed over to the corner where Connor lay in his travel crib. 'Hey Connor.' He whispered gently playing his fingers over his stomach. Immediately Connor opened his eyes and looked thoughtfully up at him. 'Don't worry. I'll keep you safe.' Connor shut his eyes again and Angel just stood watching him quietly. He had to keep focused or he could lose Connor. And he knew without a doubt that he would die if he lost Connor.

'Angel, we'll find something.' Wes told him gently. He had somehow snuck up to be standing next to Angel and for a moment the two men just watched Connor breathing. Until, of course, Cordy screamed out in agony.

She recovered a moment later and propping herself from the floor shrugged at the Scoobies standing open mouthed around her. 'What?' She demanded. 'Just… Aspirin. Now.' Fred shuffled around in her purse till she found some and threw them to Cordelia. 'Ok, Angel.' She said gearing herself up. 'There's a kid back-stage at the bronze and… about five demon guys.'

'What do the demons look like?' Giles asked timidly.

'Blue with a red jewel in the forehead.' Angel stood looking a little astonished for a moment then shrugged.

'I fought something a bit like that before, it was called A Mohra Demon, there's reference of him in the book of Kelsor.' Angel said, trying hard to fight the faint hope that this demon's veins ran with the blood of 'extra strong' eternity. Sure he pretty much had a chance to turn human but maybe this one's blood would kill him. He couldn't risk it again, especially now. Buffy was with Riley. Angel couldn't just push her into a new existence with him. She was perfectly happy with her new life, so far as he could tell. 'Can, you… er do the research for me. Ring me when you find out something.' Trying to avoid actually saying anything he looked pointedly at Cordelia who he hoped would get the point that he wanted to know if this one could turn him human too.

He swept out the door. Cordy's vision at least gave him an excuse to get out of there. He had hated the atmosphere. A moment later he heard light footsteps behind him. It was Buffy, he could sense her before he saw her and he turned around to face her, leaning casually on his battle axe.

'Buffy. This is my fight.' He said tiredly.

'Tough, this is my territory.' She replied sharply then softening, she sighed. 'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to start that again. It's just I always feel sort of useless at this point. I'm not helping researching I just sit around till I get told who to kill.'

'You'll never be useless.' He automatically reached out an arm to tuck a hair away from her face. Then withdrew, scared that if he touched her he wouldn't be able to control himself. 'Come on, I'll show you the bat mobile.'

'The bat mobile?' She said grinning with delight at his humour, she's so beautiful when she smiles. The thought crossed Angel's mind before he could stop it and he pushed it away trying to concentrate on the up coming fight.

Buffy fought alongside Angel at the back of the Bronze, it felt so odd to have his presence there next to him. Battling with her, for her, more than once he had paused for his own attacks to warn Buffy of the demon's tactics near her. The way they had before. She tried to focus on her fight but the warriors weren't that good. They seemed weakened from something so in a matter of moments she had slain two. She turned to look for more and found that Angel had killed two more leaving a final one cowering in the corner.

Buffy waited for Angel to kill the demon, but for some reason he was hesitating just standing over it. Eventually he seemed decided, knocking the demon unconscious, but not killing it.

'Er… Angel.' Buffy interrupted his deep thought, 'why exactly aren't you killing him?'

'I want to find out something from Cordy first.' He replied absentmindedly. Then as though snapping out of his thought he looked at her, there was clearly something on his mind. She could see the ghosts haunting his eyes. 'Maybe I should just kill it.' He muttered, and turned to do so.

'No wait.' Buffy found herself saying and catching his arm as he went to turn around.

'Why?' The bitterness in his voice shocked Buffy and she dropped her hold on his arm.

'I just have a feeling.' she replied meekly. She turned her eyes away from him but she could feel his eyes on her back she was about to tell him to forget it when his phone went off. She turned to face him as he pulled it out of his pocket and after a few seconds of fiddling managed to turn it on.

'Angel… Yeah… I've got one here… Okay… Thanks… I'll bring it around… bye.'

'What did she say?' Buffy asked curiosity overwhelming her.

'She er… Sort of hard to explain.'

'I want to know.' She returned simply.

'Do you? Are you sure? 'Cos I can't help thinking you'll try and kill me afterwards.'

'Was that a joke?' She replied confused. 'Stop trying to avoid the subject and tell me!'

'I told you, I fought something very much like this demon before, but this other one-'

'Hang on,' Buffy searched her memory, 'Mohra demon. That was when I went and visited you, but you killed it right away. Why's it a big deal?'

'Because,' Angel took a deep breath and tried not to think too much about the intimate details of that day. 'Because, when I fought it the first time we didn't kill it, so we went of to hunt for it.'

'No we did-' Buffy tried to interrupt and Angel held up a hand to pacify her.

'Wait. You went to see if it went to the Lone Bar and I kept on looking in the sewers, I found it but before I killed it some of it's blood mixed with mine and made me human.'

'You're human!' Buffy shouted. 'Why the hell didn't you tell me?'

'Because I'm not anymore!' He shouted back, immediately angry with himself for shouting at her. 'If I'd kept my mortality you would have died and I couldn't do that.' He turned away, drawing in unnecessary breath to try and calm him. 'The Oracles, they took me back to the beginning of the day, so I could set things right.' He turned back to face her and seeing the pained look in her eyes pulled her into a hug. 'It's why you don't remember.'

'I was there wasn't I? And we got to be together.' He nodded his head slightly in return and she buried herself deeper into the cool folds of his coat. He felt her stiffen and pull away. She stalked away from him 'What does this demon's blood do?' She asked quietly.

'I don't know. Cordelia found a picture of it, but the book; it's in Gaelic. I'm the only one who can read it. 'We can take it back with us, see what the book says.'

'What if it can turn you human again?'

'If it just turns me human, I er, I can't do it. I'll just kill it and we'll find out what the visions mean and then we'll go. Back to forgetting.'

'Why? Don't you want to be human? I don't understand.' A sob choked in her throat and Angel, was dying inside to see her that way.

'Because, if I'm just human. I'm no use to anyone, and then you and everyone I know and love will die. For me to be prepared to turn myself human I have to keep my powers.'

'Why's it always about the powers?' Tears burned in her eyes and she stood looking so helpless and confused and angry.

'If I don't have my powers I can't help people, and you know that's why were here Buffy. We fight till we die, then we keep on fighting. If I'm weak I can't protect the innocents. Or you.'

'How many times do I have to tell you Angel? I'm more than capable of looking after myself. Slayer, Remember?'

'A Slayer who has died twice.' He replied viciously, immediately regretting his words. 'I'm sorry Buffy I didn't mean it… I just. I couldn't survive it if you died again. I just couldn't handle it. Please understand Buffy.' She nodded slowly.

'I understand.' Tears rolled down her cheeks and she brushed them away, she nodded at the body of the demon. 'Come on, let's go.'

A few minutes later Angel found himself sitting in the back room of the magic box again. Skimming over the Gaelic text in the book. 'What does it say?' Buffy whispered after a minute.

'Just general stuff about the demon. It's telekinetic, actually, does that explain the stuff from before?' He looked at her questioningly

'Maybe.' She replied clearly not wanting to go into details. 'What else does it say?'

'The rest is, well it's a prophecy.' He told her and frowning went back to it. 'And a really complex one at that, I'm not totally sure what it means. Giles, Wes, could you help me please?' They nodded and headed over to help.

Hours later everyone had gone home, except Buffy who'd gone on patrol and Angel, Wes and Giles who were still working on the prophecy. Buffy patrolled alone and was grateful for the silence. She heard a twig break behind her and spun around stake in hand to find Spike standing there, grinning cockily at her.

'Spike.' She almost growled, 'What the hell do you want?'

'Nothin' just wanted to say hi, no laws against that is there?'

'Yes.' She replied, 'You'd better get out of here Spike. Angel's in town.'

'Peaches? Oh Shit. Why they hell's he here? I'll stand up to him this time. He took my bloody Gem.'

'Spike?'

'Yeah?'

'Don't call him peaches.'

'Oh, getting all temperamental 'bout him again are you?' He grinned wickedly. 'Bet Riley would be interested in that.'

'Spike. If you say anything I will hang you upside down from the cross on the cliff just in time for the morning sunrise.'

'Would you really?' He asked hopeful.

Frustrated Buffy just sighed and changed her tack. 'I'll tell Angel you're here, and from what I heard he's not best pleased with you.'

Spike considered this for a moment and nodded. 'You know I'll just be quietly getting drunk in my crypt Riley won't hear anything from me.'

'Good.' And with that Spike vanished, leaving Buffy alone to finish her sweep of the park. But nothing else interrupted her all night.

 

'Ahuh!' Giles exclaimed 'I've found it, it's a sort of cross-dialect a peculiar mix at that. But this piece here, I think it means "the last one" and this piece over here it's a round word, it means death but also birth, a sort of new beginning, rebirth.'

'Sanshu.' Angel whispered and leaned back deep in thought.

'What?'

Wes quickly explained about the prophecy involving Angel's Sanshu. 'You'll become totally human? Have you told Buffy?'

'No. I wasn't sure if it would happen within her lifetime, so I thought I'd better not.' Giles nodded understanding.

'Well according to this text this is it, but, you've got to stop something else first. It just says the consequences would be dire if it's not stopped. It's not specific about what it actually is.'

'Cordelia might have another vision that could help.' Wes said, but his voice was concerned the powers were known for giving them just enough information and the clues being subtly hidden he couldn't help but feel he'd missed something vitally important.

Angel tensed as he felt Buffy's presence near. He jumped up and turned around in time to see the back door open and Buffy come in, shaking the raindrops off her coat she headed over to Angel. 'Have you got anywhere to stay?'

He shook his head. 'I was just going to crash at the Crawford Street Mansion.'

'You haven't got enough time to get there. It's almost dawn.' She looked at him for a moment as if contemplating a decision then shrugged. 'If we leave now we can make it to my place before then.'

'That's a good idea, you can talk.' Giles said pointedly. Angel carefully collected up his son and his things and headed out the door to his car.

 

**Part Four**

They cut it very close to dawn, Angel just making it inside before the first rays of light flickered over the horizon. Buffy led Angel down to the basement, which had been converted into a spare bedroom. It looked like it had been used as a sitting room with a television and couches, as well as a selection of games and videos. He noticed some of Dawn's homework strewn out across the coffee table. It looked like a home; tidy but relaxed and lived in. Buffy's voice startled him out of his realisations. 'You can stay in here, there's a crib in the attic somewhere. Do you want me to get it?'

'We can look for it tomorrow night he's fine in this for today. You should get some rest Buffy. You look tired.'

'Yeah I suppose I am a little. I just, I don't think I can sleep right now.'

'Do you want to talk, there's some stuff I think maybe we need to say. I need to say.' Wow, that was articulate, Angel. He scolded himself gently.

Buffy nodded and ran a hand through her hair the emotional strain showed on her face. 'Yeah, we do need to talk. But you know, it's always like this, everything is left unspoken and half-finished. It's driving my crazy.'

'I know. I just. I can't say goodbye, or that I don't love you because… It's too hard. I don't want to shut the door and say we can never be together.'

'But we can't, Angel. Isn't that the whole point? Why you left me?'

'It was, but there's something else… A while back we found a prophecy, well stole a prophecy, it said that after I had fought some battles and averted some apocalypses then I would become human.'

'Oh.'

'That demon that we captured today it's mixed up in all of this in my prophecy. And I think, it might have something to do with you too.'

'Oh.' Buffy was standing rigid and pale, her eyes staring full of emotion at Angel. 'Angel, what are you going to do after all this goes down and you're human.'

'I'll do what ever you want me to, Buffy. You and Connor, I live for you, I'll die for you. You're part of me and somewhere in you is a part of me. There is always was and there always will be, because I love you.'

'I love you…' Buffy stepped closer to Angel so close he could feel the heat radiating from her body. 'Angel, after this is over, stay with me?'

'I promise I'll stay with you.'

'You'd better keep that promise.'

'I. Promise.' Angel leaned down to Buffy as she moved her lips up to his they kissed slowly at first and then growing more passionate, more hungry and the lust that had stayed contained for so long broke free. Angel's hands slipped under Buffy's shirt and her hands roamed his back as she arched against him trying to get as much contact as possible. Sanity pushed it's way into Angel's head a few minutes later. 'Wait Buffy, we can't…' She recognised the situation they were in and sighed, collapsing into his chest whilst she tried to regain control of her breathing.

'I can't wait till you're human.' She told him and pulled him closer to her 'Can I sleep in here tonight?'

'Buffy…'

'I just want you to be there when I wake up. So I know I wasn't dreaming, that you're really going to stay.'

'All right.' Buffy went upstairs to change and Angel rummaged through his stuff looking for something to wear in bed, he usually slept naked but it really didn't seem like the best idea tonight. Eventually he found some grey sweat pants and pulled them on. After a moment he felt her presence behind him. Turning Angel was forced to take an unnecessary breath at the sight of Buffy wearing a pair of silk pyjama bottoms and a tight black vest top. 'How do you always look so beautiful before you go to bed?' He asked her breaking the silence.

'You don't look so bad yourself.' She told him lightly and they smiled faintly at each other. Angel, ever polite, went around and pulled back the sheets on her side of the bed before going and getting in on the other side. They lay facing each other surrounded in the intimate comfort of the bed talking for hours, interrupted only by Connor crying a few times.

The third time Connor started crying Angel couldn't seem to settle him so he brought him over to the bed and lay him down between him and Buffy, Buffy carefully began to stroke Connor's cheek. A few moments later Connor was silent and asleep on the bed one hand clutching Buffy's wrist the other clutching Angel.

'You're good with him.' Angel whispered to Buffy as she looked down adoringly at Connor.

'It just seems natural… that sounds so strange doesn't it? Well it does, being here with your son. It feels right.'

'It looks right too.' Angel told her, Angel gently uncurled Connor's fingers from Buffy and his arms, picked him up and took him back to the travelling crib when he got back into bed Buffy snuggled against him, her arms draped around him and her head leaning against his shoulder. The position was so comfortable it was like they were made to stay like that.

'Angel?'

'Yes?'

'I wish this moment could last forever.'

The next morning was a school day and Buffy was woken up by Willow running down the stairs to pick up Dawn's homework. She stopped at the bottom of the stairs awstruck by the scene below her Angel and Buffy were lying entwined in each other on the bed whilst Connor slept in his travel crib at the end of the bed. Buffy twitched as she heard Willow's steps and slowly opened her eyes. When she saw Willow in the corner of the room she carefully wriggled out of Angel's arms, he murmured a slight protest and then fell back to sleep.

'Buffy…' Willow whispered tightly as Buffy came over to her.

'Don't worry, I didn't sleep with him.'

'Well, good. But that wasn't what I was really worried about.' Buffy looked at her confused. 'Remember Riley? Your boyfriend? You know, the man who pulled you back from the brink of despair after dying?'

Buffy's eyes widened in shock, and horror at her own actions. 'Oh god, I forgot I totally forgot.'

'You forgot you had a boyfriend? Buffy that is not a good sign.'

'I know, besides. I'm going to get back together with Angel.'

'Huh?' Willow shock her head in confusion 'Buffy isn't that a bit risky, what with the unstable soul and everything?'

'Hopefully, it won't be an issue soon.' Buffy told her totally unable to surpress the smile that hid just under her skin. 'But no pressing for details, I don't want to jinx it.'

'Ok, but again what about Riley?'

'I suppose I had better go and explain and break up with him.'

'Isn't that a bit harsh? To go out with him and then dump him as soon as someone better comes along?'

'But this isn't *someone* better, this is Angel. I love Angel with everything in me, by tagging Riley along under false pretences isn't that worse?'

'I suppose, you'd better just break it to him gently. You owe him that.'

'You're right, I do owe him that.' Buffy sighed and looked back at Angel still asleep on the bed… well probably not asleep just respecting the fact that this was a conversation he had no right to be part of and pretending to be asleep for the benefit of Willow. Buffy smiled, Angel was so perfect it was unbelievable. Struggling she brought her mind back to Riley, 'I'll tell him today, but I want to check in on Giles first.'

'Buffy! Giles and Wesley are here!' Dawn's shout stopped Willow from replying and she shrugged half smiling.

'At least you can tell Riley even quicker now. Don't put it off, if you're going to break up with him make it a clean break.' Willow gave her final warning and then ran up the stairs calling at Dawn to get in the car so she could take her shopping.

 

**Part Five**

Moments later Buffy had managed to shove Angel out of bed and make herself look presentable. Half-way running up the stairs to greet Giles and Wes, Connor began to cry, Buffy spun on the stairs 'Angel, I'll sort out a bottle for you.' Angel nodded and picking up Connor began to rock him back and forth and whisper in his ear.

So when Giles and Wes were finally ushered down into the basement they were greeted with the somewhat strange picture of Angel sitting at the end of the tousled bed and a very tired looking Buffy being taught how to feed Connor by Angel. Eventually Wes broke the scene 'we finished translating the prophecy from last night, Angel.'

'What did it say?' He asked, not looking up from Buffy and Connor.

'Well it was rather pompous and long winded.' Giles continued, Buffy raised one eyebrow at him but he ignored it. 'But basically it said that the demon, it's called a Gatterdämon, basically it's a good demon with the ability to open the gate to another world. The ceremony will give a vampire his humanity. We'll not *a* vampire just you, the whole ceremony's designed for you and your Sanshu.'

'That's probably why you found Angels' jacket at the Bronze, the demon is telekinetic -' Giles added to Buffy

'So it was using me to get Angel here.' Buffy finished for him and turned back to Angel.

'The prophecy said that you'd find the demon when it was time for you to get you're reward. So this is it, it's your turn at humanity.'

Wesley took off his glasses and polished them with his shirt, 'Angel we'll set it up for you in the magic shop come down at sunset and we'll set the demon up to perform the ceremony. We've been talking to him, he er, speaks German, and he told us all about the ritual it's rather fascinating, oh yes Buffy, you and Dawn need to be there, and Connor.'

'Why do they have to be there.' Angel asked speaking for the first time, suspicion heavy in his voice.

'The ritual simply calls for the people who you are closest to, to be there. Nothing's going to hurt them.'

'Good.' Angel said simply.

Wes and Giles stood there for a few more minutes before deciding that Buffy and Angel probably just needed to talk this over between them, and tactfully left.

Buffy stood from her position curled on the sofa with Connor cradled in her lap and slowly brought him over to Angel she laid him in Angel's open arms. She then sat on the bed behind him her legs wrapped around his waist and arms around his chest, her head resting against his back she closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. With each breath she felt the muscles in Angel's back relaxed a little more until he was leaning back into her surrendering the control of the situation to her. 'I love you.' She whispered into his back so quietly that he only heard because of his vamp hearing.

'I love you too… But…'

'But what?'

'Will you still love me when I can't fight any more? When I can't fight for you, or save people from the darkness…'

'You don't need to be able to fight, you just need to love me, besides I'm sure if you worked out a bit you'd be fine anyway, Xander always survives and he doesn't have anything near the skill and chemistry you have in a fight.'

'But before, when I was human, I couldn't fight at all. I got hurt so easily…'

'You've just got to get used to fighting as a human instead of as a vampire that's all. I could still fight when they took my powers. I just had to fight differently.'

Buffy felt another ripple of tension leave Angel's back. She smiled and Angel felt her happiness. Smiling lightly himself he stood up and put Connor down in the travel crib and turned round to watch Buffy. She was sitting at the end of the bed now, her hair tousled and her eyelids drooping slightly from lack of sleep but that wasn't what he really noticed, he noticed that love and depth shining straight from her eyes, truly the windows to her soul. Slowly Angel traced his way to the bed and knelt down in front of Buffy he tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear and unable to resist he gently trailed the tips of his fingers across her cheek and towards her lips. His fingers paused slightly at her lips and she kissed his fingers in response.

'Angel,' she whispered. 'When this is over you won't leave me will you?' Worry showed in her face, and Angel hated that he had ever given her cause to think he might.

'Never.' He replied and the worry immediately vanished from her face, to be replaced again by the smile that had saved him from despair so many times and yet had so rarely been seen. 'Buffy, do you want your ring back?'

'Yes.' A frown crossed her face, 'but I left it in the mansion, after you were taken. I wanted to move on. Bit of a lost cause but…' She trailed off watching Angel as he got up and walked over to where Connor's things were, he sorted through them and eventually pulled off a small silver inlaid wood box. He took it back to the bed and resumed his position kneeling in front of Buffy his hands clasped around hers.

'I found it. When I came through it was the first thing I saw, I was an animal when I came through but I still recognised I had to keep it safe, so I hid it under the floor boards and forgot about it, until I saw you again.' Buffy laughed slightly

'And I knocked you out.'

'Well, I survived. But when I first gave it to you I didn't exactly tell you everything about it. The Claddagh ring was and well… it was basically a marriage ring. There wasn't a suitable time to tell you about it really, and then I got turned and then after that… I couldn't bear to think about it. I didn't want you bound to someone like me, so I never told you. But Buffy, I want to marry you and after this, when I'm human and I can give you everything I want to be able to call you my wife. But… we're never going to be able to, because, well, I've been dead for two hundred years. This is the closest we're going to get… if you want it.'

'Angel I would give almost anything to be with you, it doesn't matter that we don't have a piece of paper to say we love each other. Besides maybe we can find a way around that, so I guess… Lucky us. We get everything, for once we've got the upper hand.' She smiled wryly, 'I just wanted to know what the fantastic thing we did was, so I can keep on doing it and the Powers That Be will keep on being nice to us.'

'They'd better keep on being good.' Angel threatened lightly and Buffy started laughing at his attempt to look mad whilst being so totally happy. Happy… Uh oh.

'Angel stop being happy- quick you killed people, think of the bad stuff, think of the bad stuff.'

Angel laughed at her. 'Don't worry soul in check, but glad I don't have to survive another night like last night. You wriggle a lot in your sleep you know.' This set Buffy off in fits of laughter again and Angel joined her laughing, he loved to see her happy, especially now, now that it was him that was making her happy.

When Angel, Buffy and Connor arrived at the Magick Box just after sunset everyone else was all ready there, that is, the entire of the Scooby Gang and the Angel Investigations team. It was shocking to Angel even now to see that these people all cared. After a few moments of conversation, in which people mostly just wished Angel good luck, the gatterdämon called him over to explain the ceremony to him. It seemed simple enough, there was a triangle painted on the floor Buffy, Dawn and Connor had to sit at each point of the triangle. The gatterdämon would open the gateway to another world where vampires didn't exist and the gateway would be pulled inside Angel where it would kill and push out the demon inside him. It sounded weird… but sort of plausible so Angel agreed to the ceremony and took his place. Buffy bundled Connor up in his corner and then took her place as Dawn took hers.

Once silence filled the room the gatterdämon began, he burned some herbs and chanted a bit pouring ingredients into the pestle and mortar with the ash of the herbs, the mixture hissed viscously for a moment before settling down. As soon as it had the demon began painting himself with the mixture particularly over the stone covering his third eye. As he did this he chanted whilst staring at a talisman on the end of a leather strip which he rotated around the bowl first in one direction and then in the other, again and again. For a while Angel watched with sheer fascination, but just as he began to wonder whether it was going to work a small blue spiral of light appeared in front of him it grew slightly as he watched.

A resounding crash filled the room and Angel whipped his head around to see five vampires come barrelling through the back door to the magick box and then look totally shock at the number of people on the other side. This shock didn't last long though as they soon noticed Buffy and growled at her 'Slayer...' the hiss resounded through his throat. Angel watched Buffy freeze. Not wanting to move in case it affected the spell and aware that she had a sacred duty. Torn she stayed where she was. Thankfully their friends set about battling the vampires on their own and within a minute there were only two left dodging blows by the side of the triangle. An arrow shot from the crowd of people attacking them and caught one of the vampires in the arm, the vampire stumbled back grabbing the vampire beside him to try and keep his balance they both fell back into the centre of the triangle.

For a moment nothing happened, everyone watched in absolute silence as the swirling portal flickered and wavered before exploding in a burst of brilliant life and dragging Angel, Connor, Buffy, Dawn and the two vampires into it's midst.

 

**Part Six**

Buffy rolled onto her back feeling the dry earth behind her and the sun beating down on her face. She shifted slightly in the confines of the tight dress… Dress. She hadn't been wearing a dress. Immediately suspicious Buffy pulled herself up on her elbows to look down at her clothes. She was wearing a cream and yellow Edwardian dress. Definitely not what she had been wearing before.

Cautious and confused Buffy managed to stand up, using a tree next to her for support. A tree? Looking around her suspicions were confirmed she was in the middle of a dense knot of trees and she could see no clear pathway out. However unwilling to give up she brushed down her clothes and headed towards the most promising looking direction in grim determination to find out what the hell was going on.

A moment later she was satisfied to find Angel holding Connor in his arms and shepherding Dawn along beside him. Buffy smiled at the picture, it looked… right. Eventually Angel's sixth 'Buffy' sense told her she was watching him and he turned to see her. Buffy noted that his usual creature of the night clothing had been changed too, replaced with the traditional trousers and waistcoat sort of ensemble suitable for an Edwardian man, his spiky hair was grown and tied back away from his face. Or at least she thought their clothes were Edwardian she wasn't that sure, history had never been her strong point.

Angel found he couldn't help but to stare at Buffy, she looked so beautiful in the cream dress. The dress was tight around her torso, and split into stiff panels, it swelled away from around her waist, the cream fabric was decorated in swirling patterns of yellow leaves. The way it revealed and intensified every curve in her body… Angel was forced to take a breath and revelled in the way it felt as it travelled down his throat and calmed his emotions. Slightly. Buffy had taken a few steps toward him the skirts of her dress rippling around her legs. Angel gave Connor to Dawn and moved to meet Buffy his eyes taking in every detail of her appearance. The way the sunlight played across her face and the way she still looked immaculate, despite the fact a cut on her forehead told him that she had landed roughly after being transported here.

'Buffy…' He breathed the name that came as naturally as air to him. His hand reached out to put a strand of hair back behind her ear, she caught his hand holding it against her cheek and smiling at the warmth she found. Angel slowly drew her hand to him, and laid it on his chest, by his heart. Buffy's grin grew even wider and laughing she threw herself into his arms.

'God, Angel. It's really happened!' Angel felt his heart swell at the feelings every touch of her skin invoked in him. He lowered his head, as she turned hers to face him, their lips melded together in uncontrollable passion, his hands explored her back, yearning for more contact they pressed together and a small moan sounded from Buffy's lips as she arched against him.

A loud fake coughing fit interrupted the pair and Angel felt Buffy spin round in his arms to scold her sister for the intrusion to see a couple standing next to Dawn.

Buffy stared awe struck at the couple in front of her, they looked in almost every detail and way like Xander and Anya, but the puzzled expression on their faces told them that they had clearly never seen her before. 'Good Evening, I don't think I've seen you around here?' The man asked. Angel stopped her before she could say anything.

'My name is Angel O'Leary and this my wife Buffy, and her sister Dawn Summers. And that's Connor my son.' He let his Irish accent fall through in his speech, perhaps in an attempt to show that he was new to the area. Maybe they would think we were lost visitors, Buffy thought.

'Irish?' Angel nodded 'Well I've never been there myself but I've heard it's a beautiful part of the world. I was thinking of going there one day, oh yes sorry I forgot the introductions, I'm Alexander La Velle, and this is my fiancée Anya.'

'Hello.' Anya said politely giving a little half curtsey.

'Pleased to meet you.' Buffy replied giving her a warming smile, and a half curtsey of her own.

'Shall we walk together? This park is very pretty at this time of year and then perhaps after you could come back to The Priory and join us for supper.'

'That's very kind of you, shall we Angel?'

'Of course, it sounds like a very enjoyable evening.'

And with that the group walked off, Buffy, Anya and Dawn walked slightly ahead of Angel and Alexander, with Connor. Angel and Alexander were discussing the finer points of Art and it was all Buffy could do to not laugh aloud at the fact that this world's 'Xander' was a heavy intellectual. It was very odd, and nice too, to know that there were other versions of people she know in other worlds. Living peaceful existences, undoubtedly without the knowledge that vampires exist. Or not, Buffy thought remembering that the gatterdämon had said that there were no creatures of the night in this world. I guess I'm a retired Vampire Slayer then Buffy thought smiling happily.

'Why are you so happy Buffy?' Dawn's question cut across her thoughts and she smiled deeply at her.

'Just thinking about our new life, here. It's going to be great.'

'But what about everyone else?'

'They'll understand, this is my chance and I'm *so* going to take it.'

'But I miss them.' Dawn's deep hurt showed in her eyes and for a moment Buffy considered trying to find a way back, for Dawn to go back on her own. It wouldn't be so bad because then she could tell them that they were okay and happy, but then she would be sending her back to a world of demon's and darkness. And she could do that to anyone especially her sister.

'Dawn, honey. It'll be okay, you'll make new friends. And besides it's going to be better here, safer.'

'But what about the rest? Who's going to protect them now?'

'Faith can.'

'Faith?' Dawn sounded horrified at the idea.

'It'll be fine, besides she really wants to change, this is her chance to prove herself I suppose.'

'Isn't she in Jail?'

'She'll be out very soon. Angel told me.' For a while at least Dawn seemed satisfied, although Anya was looking at them, confused.

'Where did you come from, in Ireland?' She asked.

'Galway.' Angel said as he came up behind Buffy, wrapping his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck.

'Do you have anywhere to stay?' Alexander asked.

'No actually, we left in quite a hurry we didn't really have time to sort anything out. And we were… ah… robbed on the way, so we don't have anything all our luggage and money and things are gone.'

'Oh you poor darlings!' Anya exclaimed, 'You simply must stay with us!'

'We'd be delighted to,' Buffy told her. 'But how will we repay you?'

'Don't worry about that.' Anya told her but shared a look with Alexander before continuing with the conversation, but before they could continue Connor started fussing and Dawn passed him to Buffy who tried to settle him, but with basically no success.

'I think we need to find somewhere to change him, Angel.'

'This is probably a good time to go back to The Priory then.' Alexander told them, 'The maids will just love having a baby to look after.'

'They are rather broody, aren't they?' Anya told him and laughing they lead the group over to their carriage and their house.

 

**Part Seven**

Arriving at the house Angel was immediately taken by how large and impressive it was, and was astounded at the idea that Alexander must be immensely rich. Now that did feel wrong, money and Xander just didn't mix, but then this *wasn't * Xander. He had to keep reminding himself of that.

'We have another house in San Francisco, we're actually going to be heading down there soon, but we rather like the Los Angeles house, during the winter.' Alexander told them.

'Of course.' Angel politely offered but was slightly confused to think that Alexander and Anya clearly lived together, despite the fact that they weren't married yet. It was certainly against the customs of his time. Although this was a different world perhaps things were different here Angel thought and pushed his unease away.

The doors of the carriage were opened and footmen helped them out and they were lead up into the house where a doorman opened the door, tipping his cap as he passed. The foyer of the house was huge and almost imperial there were two grand stair cases sweeping down from either side leading upstairs, and for a moment Angel was reminded of the Hyperion. The whole place was richly decorated with reds and gold and a huge crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling. Wow, quite frankly didn't cover it.

A servant had gone ahead to tell the house of their arrival and a whole wing had been prepared for Buffy, Angel, Dawn and Connor. The wing was just as impressive as the Foyer, only more so, there were separate rooms for Dawn and Connor as well as a room for Buffy and Angel, with a suite of rooms to go with it, Parlours, and dressing rooms and bathrooms. Given that there were several suites of similar sizes, Angel was surprised to hear that there was no one else staying there. 'I was never as interested in socialising as my father was, but he rather instead on having a party house for me. Still, it comes in handy sometimes.' Alexander had told him when he had asked him. The house certainly didn't lack in servants either and from his experience Angel knew that there were undoubtedly a lot more behind the scenes.

After a supper in the winter dining room Dawn had gone to bed and the adults settled in to the living room and sat playing cards until late. After that Angel's desire to be alone with Buffy totally overtook him and he made an excuse and he led Buffy up to their room.

Buffy kissed Angel gently as he carried her into their room, he put her down at the foot of the four-poster bed, and they stood kissing intensely arms wrapped around each other. After a moment's consideration, Angel pulled away from her sending a questioning gaze into her eyes. She just pulled his face back down to hers and kissed him hungrily, she pressed herself against Angel's chest, while his hands ran up and down her back searching for the fastenings.

Waking up next to Angel for the first time had to be one of the best experiences of Buffy's life. Angel hadn't told her but she somehow had that feeling that on that forgotten day, he hadn't been there when she woke up. Angel was still asleep, so she kissed him gently to wake him up. He grinned wickedly and tightened his hold on her.

'How are you?' He asked nibbling at her ear.

'Fine. I like this, you being here when I wake up.'

'You're right, it's wonderful being woken up by you.'

'I love you.'

'I love you too.'

'Do we have to get up?' Buffy asked him as he started climbing out the massive bed.

'Yes, we do.'

'Why?' Buffy said collapsing back into the pillows. 'I want to spend all day in bed, with you. Don't you?'

'I wouldn't want anything less lover, but we have to keep up appearances, or what will they think?'

'Who cares?' Buffy said, but struggled out of bed anyway. She sighed and looked around for some clothes. 'Angel, where are our clothes?'

'The servants will have picked them up while we were asleep,' He tossed her a night-gown. 'If you go down to the dressing room, they'll dress you for breakfast.'

'Oh, do they dress me all the time?' She shrugged the night-gown on and looked up at him puzzled. 'How many times do I have to get dressed a day anyway?'

'When I was young, it was a lot. At least three times if not more, depends, on the occasion.'

'I think I could get used to this.' Buffy told him, and kissed him sweetly. 'But I really wish we could spend all day in bed, preferably with lots of ice-cream.' Angel laughed and then guided her to the door.

'The sooner we get out of bed, the sooner we can get back in.' He promised her.

 

Weeks later Angel and Alexander were talking to each other in the drawing room, discussing the future.

'Angel,' Alexander started, 'Anya and I are going to go away to San Francisco, and are to be married there. I've been building the house their for years. I've had to use my own money to build it and some financial security for us you see.' He added, after Angel gave him a questioning look. 'My parents don't approve of me marrying Anya, she's not wealthy enough or something.' He said bitterly. 'So we are going to elope, sort of go missing, for all intents and purposes, and I'd like very much for you and Buffy to keep this house. And, I have a job arranged for you as an art dealer, I was offered the position but… it would be a reason to keep me here so I suggested you, they said the jobs yours.'

'Won't your family mind?'

'They won't have much choice about it. I went to my lawyer a few days ago and told him that's what I wanted. He's a trusted friend of mine, he won't tell my family he knows where I'm going.'

'In that case it is very, very kind of you to offer but I'm not sure if…'

'Don't you dare say no.' Anya's cry came from the doorway, Buffy was standing next to her and the look she was giving him said quiet clearly he had to except.

'We're very grateful.' Buffy finally said when Angel refused to say anything. 'You've shown us so much kindness, when you could have just left us. So, thank you, we'll look after the house for you. Just in case you ever decide to come back and claim it.' Alexander looked pointedly at Angel, and after weighing the decision in his head he nodded his consent.

'Good, we're leaving now, if any of our relatives try and make you leave then this is the address of my lawyer. Send them over to him and he'll set them straight.'

Angel and Buffy followed Alexander and Anya out; where they once again thanked the couple profusely for their kindness, and watched as there carriage left the grounds into the dark night, never to return to The Priory again.

Angel turned to Buffy who smiled up at him leaning into him so whispered happily 'Welcome to our home.'

 

**Part Eight - Five Years Later**

Buffy woke up to find Angel next to her, she was in their room she knew, with a certainty. He was watching her and grinned broadly when she opened her eyes, 'Hey sleepy head.' He chided her gently.

_'Hi.' She said and found it impossible to do anything but smile at him, well except reach over and kiss him. A small boy who ran into the room and jumped onto the bed interrupted them. He tried to burrow in the covers between Buffy and Angel, laughing Angel helped him in. But then the harrowing echo of a gun sounded and the boy collapsed. Buffy jumped up trying to get at the person who had shot him enraged with anger. But she couldn't see the face of the gunman._

'Connor!' Buffy screamed as she pulled herself into a sitting position on the bed, heart racing and covered in a fine sheen of sweat from her nightmare. Angel shot up beside her and surrounded her shivering body in his arms.

'Buffy… What did you see?' He asked her once she had calmed slightly, that was the best thing about Angel, he always knew the difference between one of her prophecy dreams and her normal dreams.

'It was like before, in Sunnydale, Connor. And the gunman, and God, Angel, I couldn't do anything and I'm so scared it's going to came true.'

'We'll stop it Buffy, we can change things. We've done it before and we can do it now.'

'We've never changed things Angel, the master killed me I couldn't save you…' Tears gleamed in her eyes as she curled up against him. 'I can't let Connor die. But now he's the right age, whenever I see him, I see his face in my dream, and there are no demons in this world Angel, this is nothing I can deal with.'

'Maybe not, but someone trying to shoot Connor – that'd be pretty much a police issue.'

'My experience with the police is not good.'

'But that was before you've got to remember that things here are different. There's nothing for the police to hide from here, I'm sure they actually do good jobs.' Buffy gave him a disbelieving look and crawled out of bed.

'Let's go check on Connor. Just to make sure.' Angel nodded and followed her, they pulled on some clothes before they left the room, and headed down the suite's corridor until they reached Connor's room. Edging open the door to the nursery they saw Connor in his small bed on one side of the room and Liam lying in his crib on the other side.

'See they're fine.' Angel whispered in her ear, and then taking her hand lead her over to Connor's bed where Buffy could plainly see his chest rising and falling. Buffy stood there watching him sleep for a while, Angel's arms wrapped around her waist. A moment later they moved onto Liam, their son, he was lying sideways in his crib, twitching in his sleep and it was all Buffy could to stop herself laughing and not for the first time she wondered what he had such vivid dreams about. As though sensing their presence Liam began to cry.

A maid stepped out of her room next door, but seeing Buffy and Angel there paused in the doorframe. 'It's okay, I'll do it.' Buffy told her, 'Can you get me a bottle of milk though, please?' The maid nodded her consent and left leaving Buffy rocking Liam in her arms, trying to calm him.

By the time the maid came back Connor had woken up as well, and despite the fact that it was early in the morning sat cheerfully chatting to his father whilst Buffy fed Liam.

'Mom?' Connor called, and Buffy turned to him. She and Angel hadn't been able to tell Connor about Darla yet. They couldn't really, until he was old enough to understand that he had to be quiet about his illegitimacy or people would treat him differently, like a lower person. 'When can I have a room of my own? I don't like being woken up all the time.'

'Soon enough you can have your own room, Connor.' Buffy told him laughing softly, 'But don't you like staying with your brother?'

'Of course I do, Liam's great, but he cries *all * the time.' That made Buffy laugh even more.

Sighing Angel tucked Connor back into bed and whispered into his ear 'Wait till you have your own.'

In the morning Buffy was happy to be woken by the sun streaming in through the window instead of the torrid nightmares. Angel was lying opposite her and had obviously been watching her sleep for a while he smiled broadly as he saw her wake and chided her gently, 'Hey sleepy head.'

'Hi.' She said and found it impossible to do anything but smile at him, and kiss him good morning, but before things could go any further Connor bounced into the room, in a new set of blue play clothes.

'Hi Mom, hi Dad.' He called as he jumped onto their massive bed and clambered up to them, where he promptly tried to borrow headfirst into their sheets. Angel laughed at the sight and helped Connor into their bed. Buffy had frozen in horror. She sat up in bed and stared at the doorway, a shadow flickered past it and acting on instinct Buffy dived in front of Connor, covering his small frame with hers, as a harrowing gun shot came from the doorway.

The bullet slammed into Buffy's arm and she lay motionless on the bed as Angel ran to the door to try and catch the shooter, shouting out for someone to call the doctor, and the police whilst Connor cried hysterically at the sight of his mother's still form.

Angel shot down the corridors of the house after the shooter in front of him, eventually gaining as his quarry panicked about which way to go as they reached the gates. Angel jumped on him from behind, making the man fall to the ground. Angel quickly spun the form around in his grip, so that he was face up and pulled off the man's mask. Underneath was the face of Sean Lockley, a member of the aristocracy of Los Angeles. Buffy had never liked him, Angel thought dimly. 'Sean,' he whispered in deadly tone, 'why the hell did you do this?'

Sean was clearly finding it difficult to breath but managed to answer him anyway. 'Because you arrogant bastard, you've got everything, the wife who adores you, the loving family, and I have nothing. My wife hates me, we can't have kids and now she wants a divorce because she wants a marriage that's fucking perfect like yours.'

'My heart bleeds for you.' Angel told him, desperately wishing for the first time ever that he was still a vampire so he could flash his game face at Sean and scare the living daylights out of him. 'Why'd you come after my son though. What's Connor got to do with it?'

'Just thought, if something terrible were to happen to you my wife would see that nothing's perfect.' Sean grinned and started laughing,

'You bastard! You sadistic bastard!' Angel screamed at him and slammed the man's head into the gravel before punching him, knocking him unconscious.

Buffy woke to find herself surrounded by pools of white sheets. The windows of the room were open, so that the clean smell of rain drifted in. Slowly opening her eyes she saw a doctor taking her pulse from her uninjured arm, while nurses were moving around the room, cleaning instruments and looking at charts, but Angel's familiar form was not there. 'Angel…' she whispered catching the attention on a nearby nurse. She came over to her and pressed her hand against her forehead asking her how she felt. 'Fine. Need Angel.' Came the reply.

'I'm afraid we don't let family into the hospital rooms, except at visiting hours.'

Buffy panicked. 'Hospital? I need Angel, please. He can take me home and I can stay nice and far away from hospital.'

The nurse must have seen the desperation in her eyes because she sighed and nodded, 'I'll talk to the doctor about it. No promises though.'

Buffy smiled satisfied and drifted back to sleep.

When Buffy next properly woke up she was surrounded by the red silk and velvet that she knew belonged to her and Angel's room, so smiling she sat up and looked around her. Angel was asleep in a chair in the corner, and sounds of laughter from the nursery a few rooms away told her Connor was okay.

Wanting to wake Angel nicely she crawled out of bed, and a little unsteadily at first from so much time in bed she walked over to him, where she curled up on his lap and nuzzled the side of his neck, gently waking him up. In response Angel's arms curled around her and he kissed the top of her head. 'Thank you for getting me out of hospital,' she whispered and he nodded.

'Thank you for saving Connor's life, and for being my wife and loving me.' He looked seriously into her eyes. 'But stop getting into all these life or death situations, okay?'

'It's not like it's that dangerous, I've got advanced slayer healing capabilities.' Buffy scrunched up her nose in thought, 'you know, that makes me sound like a car.' Angel laughed and tickled her till she was squealing in his arms. When he finally stopped she lay peacefully in his arms for a minute then looked up at him. 'Let's go see the kids.' She suggested and Angel agreed, he helped her walk through to the nursery where she was greeted by Connor jumping into her arms and Liam's thoughtful gaze.

Epilogue - Twelve Years Later

Twelve years after the shooting incident Connor was seventeen years old and his younger brother Liam was thirteen. Buffy and Angel had two more children, Kaitlyn who was five and Cody who had just turned one. Buffy and Angel had had a lot of fun choosing names for their children, Liam had been called such because that used to be Angel's name, when he was human first. Kaitlyn meant pure, and was similar enough to the name of Angel's long dead sister, Katherine, to be a nice, but not a constant reminder of his past. Cody's meaning had the most significance, after Buffy had been flicking through a name book and discovered it meant son of the defender she knew she had to name her newest son that. Angel's gallery had become world famous and he had even begun adding some of his own drawings, most of which were of Buffy, and his family.

Dawn had also had a successful life, although she had been sent away to finishing school until she was seventeen, she liked it meeting teachers who inspired her to share her considerably greater knowledge than most people of the age and become a writer. She was one of the first famous female writers and was also happily married to a man called William, and they had a four-year-old daughter called Aurora. Proving that not all early female writers lead the lonely existences of Jane Austen and the Brontë sisters.

This world was happy, contented, with no demons and vampires and no actual war anywhere on the planet, although there were still human crimes.

Meanwhile in the Buffyverse, only a year had passed. In that year Faith had been released form prison and earned the trust of the Scooby Gang by helping them close the hellmouth. Although the residents of Sunnydale missed Buffy they went on without her realising that wherever she was now she was with Angel and most likely very happy. Riley took longer than the others to except but eventually did, meeting Sam and marrying her a few months later definitely helped.

Xander and Anya finally made it down the aisle and had a boy, who Anya insisted on naming Alexander. Gunn and Fred married as well, and they ran Angel Investigations in LA with a new warrior sent to help them called Erik. Cordy had totally fallen in love with Erik, but was taking things very slowly because she couldn't forget the whole Angel curse thing. Willow and Tara were also married when the law changed with Tara helping Willow through her magic problems, giving it up herself at the same time.

And life was good.

**The End**


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